1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a battery. More particularly, the invention relates to a battery being fabricated of component parts and a method for assembling same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Batteries are fabricated by combining a number of individual cells together. Batteries are a collection of cells connected in parallel and/or series. When the battery is to be used with a stationary device, merely connecting the terminals and allowing the cells to sit side by side in a simple structure is adequate.
Simple structures for batteries are inadequate, however, when the environment in which a battery is placed is hostile. Examples of hostile environments include elements of extreme temperature changes, humidity, and vibration, all of which are typically found in automobiles, aircraft, watercraft and the like. These batteries require a structure to support the cells in relation to each other. In addition, these batteries require permanent connections between the cell terminals to eliminate disconnections due to vibrations and jarring motions.
Currently, batteries fabricated using plate-like cells include gluing the sides of the cells together. The terminals are welded together using an ultrasonic welding process and then bent at 90 degrees. This method of fabrication limits the number of cells that can be connected in parallel to three cells. The bending of the terminals at 90 degrees increases the stress levels in some of the terminals more than others. Increasing the stress levels in the terminals makes the terminals more prone to failure due to vibration and corrosion. In addition, the ability to form a battery using more than three cells is greatly inhibited due to the limitation of the ultrasonic welding process.